Steve Crawford wrote:
> Richard Troy wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 8 Dec 2006, Raymond O'Donnell wrote:
>>
>>> Yes, the table is used only for humans; it's part of some
>>> administrative software I'm writing for an educational institution,
>>> and the primary purpose of the gender column is to help the users
>>> cope with a problem new to the west of Ireland - the large influx of
>>> immigrants from Africa, eastern Europe and elsewhere means that it's
>>> no longer possible to tell a student's gender just from their
>>> name....!
>>>
>>> --Ray.
>>>
>> Ray, darest I point out that that's never been possible in English anyway?
>> There are dozens if not hundreds of androgenous names - Pat and Tracy come
>> immediately to mind, and there are countless others!
>>
>
> Or with Irish names: Sheridan, Tara, Shay, Shannon, Rory, Ronan, Riley,
> Renny, Regan, Quinn, Murphy, Keverne, Keeley, Kane, Erin, Darby, Dara,
> Cary, ...
>
> Yes, I was researching baby names not all that long ago... :)
>
> Cheers,
> Steve
>
>
> ---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
> TIP 6: explain analyze is your friend
>
Man this thing has strayed off topic and I am joining in!
Most of these "Irish Names" are family names that have been assumed as
first names (Murphy, Quinn, Riley, etc) that FYI you will almost never
find in Ireland! Although never heard of Ronán being used for a girl but
I there is a boy called Eve and a girl called Adam somewhere!
Oisín (A *real* Irish Name)